Verge NECCS #7, NBX GP - C2

Rhode Island, USA, December 9, 2007

Powers pips Wells while Bessette returns to power

The final event of the 2007 Verge New England Championship cyclo-cross series
featured another nail-biter finish in the men's elite race and the return to
form of 'cross legend Lyne Bessette.

The final race also crowned series winners in nine categories, including dominant
-- and promising -- performances in the Under-19 juniors and Under-23 seniors.

In the men's elite race, Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld.com) got the holeshot
and quickly opened a 12-second lead on Todd Wells (GT), who pleased the crowd
by hopping the barriers near the course's central carousel building. Series
leader Jesse Anthony (Jamis) and Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Leer-Cyclocrossworld.com)
were close behind.

After two laps, Wells bridged to Powers and the two traded attacks until Wells
crashed and bent his derailleur on the last lap. Powers decided not to attack
Wells until he went into the pit to take another bike, then he punched it to
take a five-second gap that Wells quickly closed.

From there, it looked to be a repeat of Saturday's race, when Wells came around
Anthony to nip him at the line. But this time, Wells attacked Powers about a
kilometre from the finish and Powers had to close a small gap on the final straight
to win by a hand's width.

"He got a little gap, maybe two bike lengths, coming into the last straight,"
Powers said. "Maybe it was a little too much, but Todd hit a root kind of cock-eyed
and then he went wide so I was able to close maybe one bike length and then
I was just able to catch him at the end."

The women's race saw Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) return to the series
after missing the last two events due to illness and travel. She wasted no time
producing the kind of performance that has helped her win the four previous
series events she started.

"I had a good start, I felt snappy on the start," Bessette said at the finish.
"I went through the course gradually and after the middle I opened more gas
and I felt good; I tried to really push the speed in the corners."

Behind her, in a breakthrough performance, Amy Wallace (Richard Sachs-RGM Watches)
also got a good start and separated herself from the chasers. Wallace kept within
15 seconds of Bessette for about two laps, and held a steady pace to the end
to turn in her best series finish to date.

"Today I was feeling good when I got up. I told my team-mates, 'I can win today.'
Then I saw Lyne was here and I said, ' I can definitely get second,'" she said
with a smile. "The mental attitude helps so much."

Rebecca Wellons (Ridley), who came into Sunday's race in the series lead, and
had to finish no worse than second behind Bessette to hold the lead. Unfortunately
for Wellons, she got a poor start and finished sixth.